1/16 Has anybody written perl scripts that translate CAD related data
files (all in text) from one format to another? Or know of one?
I'm just looking for an example of this type of program. Thanks.
\_ Which CAD software?
\_ from some PC program whose name I don't remember to berkeley's
MAGIC. The translation is straightforward. There's a set of
keywords and numbers following keywords. I'm looking for an
sample program that does something similar.
\_ Magic was a piece of shit. Even with its so-called "user
friendly" Tcl/Tk GUI Max it still stunk. Fortunately, in
the real world, you use real CAD tools (which unfortunately
Synopsis will charge you 7 digits for).

01/17 Stop nuking the motd. I am looking for for any materials on
OS and kernel architecture--preferably something online like
course lecture notes or handouts, doesn't matter how theoretical
or practical. I have a friend who's interested in Unix (and
other) OS design, and am hoping one of you folks can maybe
give me some pointers in this direction. -John
\_ It's not online but The Design and Implementation of 4.4
BSD is supposed to be a good book. For online papers you
can do searches at http://www.acm.org/dl and hunt down
the actual PDF yourself.
\_ Thank you! Duly passed on. -John
\_ I saw this book listed as req'd for 162. Are they using BSD
for projects or are they still with NachOS?
\_ Was that this semester? bh taught it one semester with
BSD, and the book was required then. AFAIK, they haven't
done that again since. -bz
\_ From everything I've heard, it's *REALLY* unlikely that
they'll ever do it again... -mice
\_ if they want any more current stuff, check out papers online
for spin-os (u washington) and exokernel (mit).
\_ For practical, there's a new Solaris Kernel Internals book out
from SunSoft press that gives excellent descriptions of Solaris's
VM, filesystems, etc. (Say what you want - Sun must have done
something right, since even Linux has modeled parts of their kernel
on Sun's work.)
\_ Who is the author?
\_ Mauro & McDougall
\_ "Even Linux." Are you trolling?
\_ No one trolls the motd. Are *you* trolling?
\_ Linux's VM sucks big donkey dick
\_ Well, there's a very persuasive argument.
\_ Probably cuz you booted up without a filesystem.
\_ It was a linux box. I didn't need a filesystem.
I store my files on something stable.

1/16 Anyone have any empirical evidence on which is currently more in
demand: java or c++ programmers?
\_I'm dealing with that exact issue right now, and it seems that both
are highly in demend (VC++ more than C++), but Java jobs pay slightly
more.

1/17 Another CAD tool question. I have spice files with multiple layers
of circuits. I understand that spice flattens the circuits down to
a single level before running it. But it doesn't produce that single
layer circuit in a file. Is there a tool out there that will flatten
a spice file? I want to use this one layer circuit file as input
to another program, not spice. Thanks.

1/17 Ergonomically speaking, how far should you be from the
computer/laptop monitor?
\_ The fingers you have used to type are too fat. To obtain a
special typing wand smash the keyboard with your palm now.
\_ I've heard that 18 inches is the ideal. -mice
\_ Pyea, right. I heard 8.5 inches is too much already.
\_ I'm not a big believer in most of that ergonomics crap,
but here's a URL that might be useful. *shrug* whatever.
http://www.office-ergo.com/viewing.htm -mice
\_ At that range, I'd have to turn my head to see half my
screen real-estate. I'd be getting motion sickness just
following the mouse-pointer around. What you using, a
10" monitor or something? Stop being such a cheapskate
and buy a real monitor, punk.
\_ For laptops, since the display is generally smaller and since LCDs
don't emit radiation, I think you can stay closer to the display.
\_ the bigger the breast the farther you need to sit to prevent
from getting breast cancer.
\_ At least 100 ft, then you won't be damaged by trying to stare at
the screen or use the keyboard.
\_ Ergonomically speaking, no one has a real clue about what the best
ergonomics are. Do something comfortable and don't remain in the
same position for extended periods. The rest is urban legend.

1/17 I don't understand this whole electric deregulation thing. If
consumers are suppose to have choices, how come I never got
any info on changing my suppier?
\_ Because you're dense as a rock - the rest of us were flooded with
mail, PG&E bill inserts, & ads from alternate power companies when
they first started letting people choose.
\_ oh, come on, there are other explanations. the poster could
be from another state where power is not deregulatesd, have
graduated cal years and years ago, and live in a sealed room
with no access to newspapers, internet, or phones and no
mailbox. having emerged after years of hibernation, he
has now read a newspaperr, and has turned to the motd for
understanding.
\_ Commonwealth Energy Corp, http://www.powersavers.com 1-800-electric.
Supposedly it provides electricity that's both from renewable
sources and cheaper than PG&E.
\_ i don't think there ever were any viable energy provider
alternatives
\_ Of course there were.. PG&E still runs everything though. These
alternate providers just buy elecricty from somewhere else or
generate it themselves and feed it into the PG&E power grid.
They are of course only allowed to resell as much power as they
are bringing in...
\_ you are only reinforcing my original statement
\_ Why would they be allowed to sell more?

1/17 Rolling blackout in effect in Northern Claifornia. Please help
conserve power by turning off unused monitors, computers and lights
at your offices/classrooms/labs. Thanks.
\_ Just go flip the switch at Yahoo. Aren't they the number one power
consumer in the Bay Area?
\_ Really? I'd think bigger companies like IBM use more power. Or
even BART and MUNI.
\_ I think MUNI generates its own power for the electric trains
and busses.
\_ Doubtful. Exodus is #1 in Santa Clara due to all their co-lo
facilities, but only when Great America is closed for the winter.
\_ pull the plug on a place like Fresno!
\_ are some people really cranking it up, just to cause the blackout
in hopes of getting days off?
\_ pull the plug on SF. No one important would care.

1/17 http://acm.org digital library has a lot of good articles. Where else
is a good place to find similar things submitted to sigmod/sigX/ACM?
\_ The ACM dl is good only if you're a member. Otherwise you need
to do a second search on the university where the paper
originated from. http://citeseer.nj.nec.com/cs is another
good site. No membership is required. These are great for
people who want to do graduate level research papers.
--helloworld jeff
\_ <DEAD>iel.ihs.com<DEAD> has all the ieee publications online. see if your
school is a member. citeseer is great, but it only has images
for a few papers. -ali